Selling

[Bill P]

I've seen a few posts talking about selling, so I thought I'd put my experience out there and see if it would help anyone.

I quit doing shows about a year ago.  No matter how hard I tried, I wasn't making sales.  I put my unsold work in a booth at a local craft warehouse, and still didn't sell anything.  The last month of the booth, I displayed my work with signs that said "Not for sale, display only" and a larger sign that said, "Custom orders taken at..." and then I listed my phone number.  I put my cards out, and when I was done with the chess set (and other projects I'd sold) I'd display them with signs that said, "Not for sale" or "Sold.  Call me for custom orders."

By the time the rent on the booth was up, I was booked with pre-orders through Christmas of this year.  Now I'm booked with orders for chess sets, Eiffel Towers, frames, room dividers, and other orders up to March of 2013.

It almost felt as if, when I started telling people they couldn't buy my works, they started getting in line to buy.  I started turning down orders for this Christmas, only to have people order for Christmas of 2012 and 2013.

We live in a strange world.  I think P.T. Barnum would have been proud.

Bill P.

[dgman]

That's a great story Bill!

[BilltheDiver]

Interesting approach.  It takes the pressure to buy off the customer.  Then when they do want to buy, they are an interested party instead of just another passerby.  Selling is not difficult.  The difficulty is in finding those interested parties.

Good information!

[Rapid Roger]

Ah ah!  The old reverse psychology trick!! 
Some times it works great as you found out. 
Try advertising something using a picture and a note that it is 'Out Of Stock'. Everyone and his brother will want one. 

Rog

[Marcellarius]

really great to hear! that's a good way of doing business!
congrats!

[Gabby]

Just like putting your old refrigerator out by the curb with a FREE sign on it. No takers.
Put for sale $50,
it'll disappear over night!
LOL
Gabby

[jimbo]

That's a good marketing ploy Bill and has worked well for you, I have found at times increasing the price helps as well as people seem to think if some thing is cheap it isn't  any good,
I personally have not had much success marketing to order
Jimbo

[Graywolf]

WTG, Bill. Talking about what people do!! I do eBay and a year or so ago I had a Dicka kids Jacket. I put it up for $19.99 or buy now for $49.99. Bidders would not have anything to do with it. I sold it for $135.00. You never know what people will do.

Keep up the good work.

[wombatie]

People are very strange creatures.

Marg

[saggioculo]

When I lived up north (NJ) I use to make a lot of lawn holiday decorations.  I'd put them out on my own lawn and passerbys would ask where I got them.  Told them I made them myself and would be glad to make one for them...at a small price.  I really did great!  I used half inch MDF, cut the pattern, prime, paint, clear coat and SOLD.  MDF being so cheap and being able to do as many as 4 projects per sheet put a decent profit in my pocket. 
Now that I live down south (NC) and all new neighbors, I should start doing that again and see how I do.  Most projects I've sold was from word of mouth.  There was a time when I couldn't make ouija boards fast enough!  I sold one for $175.  Now there are so many "hand-made" ouija boards on ebay that they just don't sell for me as well as they use to.  Onto the next trend.